On fields across America, Pop Warner is continually making our game safer and better, while retaining what makes the sport of football so great for young people. And we’re doing the same for our young athletes in cheer and dance.
Leagues have options with how to structure their program. While leagues can continue the current structure where a player is placed in a division based on his or her age and weight, they may also instead choose to register players based on age only. Currently, an estimated 75-80% of youth football nationally follows an age-only structure.
Pop Warner places value on safety measures that make a difference. That’s why we have also done things in football like reduce contact to 25% of practice time, eliminate kickoffs for our youngest divisions and require that any player who suffers a suspected head injury receive medical clearance from a concussion specialist before returning to play.
Players begin practicing on August 1 in preparation for their season openers, usually held during the last week in August or first week in September. A participant can be considered eligible for the season when he/she has met the four basic criteria for participation: A candidate must provide proof of age, parental consent, a medical examination, and academic fitness.
What makes Pop Warner unique as an organization is our commitment to academic excellence among our participants. A participant must maintain a 2.0 Grade Point Average/70 percent in school in order to participate during the season. Learn more about our Scholastics program.
A football team plays a 7 to 9 game schedule and at the end of the regular season, usually during the last week in October, a team prepares for league playoffs. Playoff games are only for the Jr. Pee Wee, Pee Wee, Jr. Varsity, Varsity and Unlimited Divisions. We do not have playoffs at our Tiny-Mite or Mitey-Mite levels.
Once a league champion has been decided and a team has won the right to participate in regional championships. Those teams that win at the regional championships are invited to the Pop Warner Super Bowl in Orlando to compete for a national championship.